IHD

Question: What chronic disease do you think will have the biggest impact on population health in the next 20 years and Why?

Answer: Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD)

The chronic disease problem is far from being limited to the developed regions of the world. It is clear that the earlier labelling of chronic diseases as “diseases of affluence” is increasingly a misnomer, as they emerge both in poorer countries and in the poorer population groups in richer countries. This shift in the pattern of disease is taking place at an accelerating rate; furthermore, it is occurring at a faster rate in developing countries than it did in the industrialized regions of the world half a century ago (3). This rapid rate of change, together with the increasing burden of disease, is creating a major public health threat which demands immediate and effective action.

It has been projected that, by 2020, chronic diseases will account for almost three-quarters of all deaths worldwide, and that 71% of deaths due to ischemic heart disease (IHD), 75% of deaths due to stroke, and 70% of deaths due to diabetes will occur in developing countries. The number of people in the developing world with diabetes will increase by more than 2.5-fold, from 84 million in 1995 to 228 million in 2025. On a global basis, 60% of the burden of chronic diseases will occur in developing countries. Indeed, cardiovascular diseases are even now more numerous in India and China than in all the economically developed countries in the world put together. As for overweight and obesity, not only has the current prevalence already reached unprecedented levels, but the rate at which it is annually increasing in most developing regions is substantial. The public health implications of this phenomenon are staggering, and are already becoming apparent.

Because ischemic heart disease may develop slowly, as plaque builds up over time, or it may occur quickly if an artery is suddenly blocked. For this reason, ischemic heart disease occurs most frequently in people who have atherosclerosis (buildup of plaque on the walls of the coronary arteries), blood clots, coronary artery spasm, or severe illnesses that increase the heart’s need for oxygen. Also, in develop and developing countries the low-income population does not have the financial means of accessing medical attention at will.

Reference

World Health Organization (WHO). https://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/2_background/en/